1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wheelchairs and other similar patient transporting devices. More particularly, this invention relates to wheelchairs for transporting patients who require a source of oxygen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many patients are confined to wheelchairs. A large number of such patients often have various types of diseases or anatomical conditions which require that oxygen be constantly available to the patient. It has been difficult for patients in this category to travel outside the home or hospital where oxygen can conveniently be made available. The difficulty associated with such travel primarily involves the difficulty of transporting a sufficient supply of oxygen. On the one hand, if the patient carries or transports a relatively small oxygen bottle which is not heavy and can be easily handled, the supply of oxygen in such a container is usually not sufficient for any extended travel. On the other hand, it is difficult and burdensome to carry a large enough oxygen tank to give the patient the desired length of time outside the home.
Various wheelchairs have from time to time included support members in which oxygen tanks or canisters can be carried. However, the support members of the prior art have a number of disadvantages. Some of these support members have comprised circular metal baskets or the like which have been fixedly attached to the wheelchair frame by welding. Such a "fixed" type of support member is not suited to be easily attached to presently existing wheelchairs by the average user thereof. Most patients do not have the necessary equipment to weld or otherwise attach such a support member to their wheelchair. In addition, most modern wheelchairs have large wheels which include a braking mechanism having a manually actuable lever. Together these components occupy most of the side area of the wheelchair. Thus, it has often been necessary that the oxygen tank support members be positioned in back of the wheelchair seat in the back portion of the frame. Such a location is not suitable for many patients because the controls on the oxygen tank for regulating the flow of oxygen will be located behind the patient's head. It thus becomes difficult for the patient to adjust these controls because of the inconveniently positioned oxygen tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,344 to Bauman discloses an oxygen tank holder for a wheelchair which is detachable. In this regard, the Bauman holder can be used on some existing wheelchairs without needing any special tools for installation. However, the structure of the Bauman holder is very complicated. It includes two depending struts which slide onto two tubular portions of the wheelchair. The struts are joined at their upper ends to a circular strap. The circular strap supports a U-shaped basket which actually contains the oxygen tank. In addition, a reinforcing ring runs around a midpoint portion of the basket and is suitably tightened or secured thereon by means of flexible cables. Furthermore, Bauman discloses locating his oxygen tank holder in back of the seat of the wheelchair. Thus, the holder of Bauman is inconveniently located and consequently disadvantageous for the reasons noted earlier. Furthermore, the complexity of the Bauman device makes it more difficult to manufacture and use and more expensive. This correspondingly tends to decrease the use of the Bauman holder by discouraging its purchase.